Transferred Epithet Lesson: Meaning, Definition and Examples

Lesson Overview

• What Is Transferred Epithet?
• How to Use Transferred Epithets in Sentences
• Epitaph vs. Transferred Epithet
• Examples of Transferred Epithet
• Transferred Epithet Assessment

Have you ever heard someone say they had a "busy day"? Days can't actually be busy, can they? That's because they're using something called a transferred epithet! Basically, they take a word that describes a feeling and use it to describe something else. Learn how it works!

What Is Transferred Epithet?

A transferred epithet is a figure of speech where a word that usually describes a person or their feelings is used to describe something else. According to the epithet definition, this allows the writer to shift the focus of the adjective, making the description more vivid and unconventional.

Here's an example:

"The sleepless night seemed endless."

• Normally, sleepless describes a person (someone who can't sleep), but here it is used to describe the night, which can't literally be sleepless. The night feels long and exhausting, so the feeling of sleeplessness is transferred to it.
  
  

How to Use Transferred Epithets in Sentences

To use an epithet in a sentence, you need to find a word that describes a feeling and then use it to describe something else. Here are some tips for using transferred epithets:

• Think about the feeling you want to convey. What emotion do you want to evoke?
  
• Find a word that describes that feeling. This word will be your transferred epithet.
  
• Use the transferred epithet to describe something else. This can be a person, place, thing, or idea.

Some epithet examples and how to use them in a sentence:

"The tired road twisted through the valley."

• Tired is typically used to describe a person, but here it's transferred to the road, suggesting that the road has grown weary from the long journey.

"The angry clouds gathered in the sky."

• Angry is an emotion usually used for people, but in this case, it's transferred to the clouds, implying a sense of rage or foreboding as the clouds darken.

"He gave her a thoughtful glance."

• Thoughtful is usually used to describe a person's attitude, but here it describes the glance, implying that the glance is filled with consideration or reflection.

"She listened to the soft music with a peaceful expression."

• Soft is generally used for tactile sensations but is here used to describe the music, giving it a calming, gentle quality.

"The heavy door creaked open."

• Heavy is usually a physical description of an object, but here it is transferred to the door, which suggests that the door's weight makes it harder to open.
  
  

Epitaph vs. Transferred Epithet

The words "epitaph" and "transferred epithet" sound similar, but they mean very different things.

• Epitaph: An epitaph is a phrase or inscription written in memory of someone, usually on a tombstone. It honors the deceased, reflecting their life or legacy.
  
  • Example: "Beloved father and grandfather."
    
• Transferred Epithet: A transferred epithet refers to a phrase or inscription originally meant for someone else but is applied metaphorically to another context or person. It can involve taking a statement or description that was originally used for one individual or subject and transferring it to someone or something else to express a related quality or characteristic. In literary usage, it might involve transferring a style or tone from one work to another.
  
  • Example: "He walked down the lonely road." ( In this sentence with the epithet, the road isn't actually lonely, the person is!)

The above distinction of epitaph vs epithet is crucial, as the former is related to memorializing the dead, while the latter enhances descriptive language in writing.

Examples of Transferred Epithet

Let's look at some examples:

The lonely road twisted through the forest."

• Lonely describes a person who feels alone, but in this case, it is transferred to describe the road, creating an image of the road as isolated or desolate.

"The stormy sky raged above the city."

• Stormy typically describes weather conditions, but here it is applied to the sky, intensifying the idea of turbulence and chaos, making the sky seem like it's full of anger.

"The tired sun sank behind the mountains."

• Tired is usually used for people, but here it is applied to the sun, suggesting that it is weary as it sets, offering a poetic image of the end of the day.

"The silent night was peaceful."

• Silent is a word often used for people who are not speaking, but in this case, it is used to describe the night, implying a stillness and calmness that conveys peace.

"He went down the dark, winding path with a heavy heart."

• Heavy is commonly used to describe a person's emotional state, but in this case, it is transferred to describe the heart, implying a feeling of sadness or burden.
  
  

Transferred Epithet Assessment

1. Identify the transferred epithet:

• The golden hour
• The cruel sea
• The smiling moon
  

2. Create your own:

• Think of a noun (like a car, a tree, or a river).
• Choose an adjective that describes a feeling (like angry, happy, or tired).
• Combine them to create a transferred epithet.
  

3. Spot the transferred epithet in a sentence:

• The furious wind howled through the trees.
• The gentle rain kissed the earth.
• The lonely house stood on the hill.
  

4. Draw a picture:

• Choose a transferred epithet (like "the sleepy town").
• Draw a picture that represents the feeling of sleepiness and a town.
  

5. Write a short poem:

• Use at least two transferred epithets in your poem.
• For example: "The angry sea roared, the sleepy shore sighed."